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Home › Baby Names Directory › Frederic

Frederic

♂ Boy

Pronounced frehd-EHR-eek /frɛd.ˈɛr.ik/Medium

Meaning: Peaceful rulerMedium

In 30 seconds: Frederic is a Catalan form meaning 'peaceful ruler.'
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Origin MediumCatalan, Occitan
MeaningPeaceful ruler
U.S. rank (2025)#2953 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births42 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1947
Total births (all-time)≈ 14,440

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194718802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Frederic is the Catalan form of Frederick, built from Germanic roots meaning 'peaceful ruler.' The name spread across Europe in forms like the French Frédéric and the Czech Bedřich.

Bearers include French politician Frédéric François-Marsal (1874-1958) and Frédéric Passy (1822-1912), who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. The short form Fred keeps it familiar in everyday use.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Frederic is 'peaceful ruler', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Frederic — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

FrédèricFrèdèricBedřichFrederikFred

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Frédéric François-Marsal (1874–1958)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Frédéric Passy (1822–1912)
    Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

If you like Frederic…

Fred— The short form of Frederic given in its own data.
Antoni— a fellow Catalan choice
Xavi— shares Frederic's Catalan roots
Gerson— a fellow Catalan choice
Sir— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Frederic

By themecatalanoccitan
By meaningPeaceRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Frederic mean?

Frederic is usually explained as meaning 'peaceful ruler' and is most often linked with Catalan tradition.

How do you pronounce Frederic?

It's commonly said frehd-EHR-eek /frɛd.ˈɛr.ik/.

Is Frederic a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Frederic is used as a boy name.

How popular is Frederic?

In 2024, Frederic ranked #2879 in the U.S. for boys, with 44 births recorded.

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